Many individuals are susceptible to respiratory infections including bronchitis and pneumonia. In the United States alone, ordinary pneumonia killed 62 thousand people in 1999. Asthmatics are particularly susceptible to respiratory infections. 17 million people are known to have asthma in the United States.
Infectious disease is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Moreover, deaths from infectious disease have been increasing. More Americans died per thousand due to infectious disease in 2000 than in 1980. 90,000 people die each year in the United States due to nosocomial infections, many resulting from surgery. Individuals whose immune systems are compromised are particularly susceptible.
Peak flow meters are recommended to monitor the lung function value of asthmatic's airways. This inexpensive device provides a non-invasive, inexpensive, convenient means to monitor lung function values and can be used at home by asthmatics of all ages. Peak flow meter readings fall before symptoms of asthma are otherwise noticed (providing early detection).
Body temperatures of 37.8° C. (100° F.) or above, are classified as a fever. Fevers are described as low-grade [37.8° C. (100° F.) to 38.9° C. (102° F.)] or high-grade [above 39.5° C. (103° F.)]. When an infection first occurs, the immune system causes white blood cells to move to the site of the localized infection to fight the infection and the core body temperature of the individual begins to rise. As an infection spreads to other areas of an organ or other areas of the body and the number of white blood cells involved in fighting the infection increases, causing a proportional increase in the body's core temperature. A spreading infection neither suddenly invades all susceptible tissues in the body nor immediately involves all white blood cells. An infection spreads over a period of time—different for different diseases and pathways.
Primary Prevention (i.e., taking steps to prevent the occurrence of an infection) is, of course, important. However, because of travel, meetings, conventions, and the many other ways individuals come into contact with large numbers of people, infections still occur.
Secondary Prevention is the early detection of an infection followed by actions taken immediately to reverse, halt or retard its progression (e.g., taking antiviral drugs, anti-oxidants or antibiotics). Secondary Prevention can be very effective in protecting individuals from the adverse effects of infectious disease, but most therapeutic treatments are not optimally effective if they are not started during the early stages of an infectious disease. Furthermore, detecting infections in their very early stages has been difficult due to the fact that physical symptoms are often not yet apparent.
Accordingly, a need exists for an effective means for detecting and reporting impending respiratory infections.